Category Archives: blood ban

via The Huffington Post, by Robert Valadez “Save a life, give blood,” read the sticker on a colleague’s lapel. It sounds wonderful — where do I sign up? Unfortunately, I can’t donate blood because I’m gay. Many people are surprised to hear that gay men are prohibited from donating blood in most countries around the world, including Read More >>

via The Los Angeles Times, by Jessica Pauline Ogilvie Last month, the United Kingdom lifted its long-standing ban on accepting blood donations from gay men. Instead, health officials there implemented a new policy that allows men to become blood donors as long as they haven’t had sex with another man in the previous year. With this decision, Read More >>

Via the National Journal, by Maggie Fox. A policy that bars gay men from donating blood for life is “suboptimal,” advisers to the Health and Human Services Department said on Tuesday, and needs another look. HHS asked a committee of experts on blood and tissue donations to reexamine the policy and see if there is a way Read More >>

[The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has decided to continue the controversial policy of banning gay men from donating blood. We talked live with Jim Pickett of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.]